CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY SHOW THEIR SUPPORT

17 March 2014

Somerset Chamber of Trade have come out with unanimous backing for Yeovil Town Football Club’s proposals for the lifting of POS restrictions at Huish Park and the building of a food store to support the new 800 house development off Thorne Lane.

In a letter to the Chief Planning Officer Rupert Cox, Chief Executive of the Chamber said: “The site at Huish Park would make an ideal location for a supermarket being able to serve the new development off Thorne Lane as well as give competition to other out of town supermarkets such as Asda and Morrisons.

“The movement of the residential centre of town to the north and west would suggest that there is a genuine need for more food retail opportunities. While the flow of traffic will need addressing, that must be better than clogging up the centre of Yeovil by food shoppers.

“There is a more fundamental reason to support this application, even if it means going against Planning Policy, and that is the sustainability of one of only two fully professional sports organisations.

“Somerset County Cricket Club and Yeovil Town Football Club promote Somerset and their local communities wherever in the country and provide real employment opportunities, so it is vitally important that they both remain viable businesses.

“Whatever Yeovil Town’s league position, they will remain a key brand in Somerset-from “Giant Killer” to sloping pitch, to the heady heights of the Championship, everybody knows Yeovil Town.

“This development at Huish Park will help the club to not just survive, but to grow and to continue to be the pride of the town and surrounding area as the most successful professional football club in the entire South West and as such should be supported by the community and local government alike.”

With Planning Application due to be heard on Wednesday April 2nd pressure is building on SSDC to make the right decision on this application.